Social media firms must identify vile online trolls
Our new campaign aims to unmask web bullies
CAMPAIGNERS are demanding social media giants unmask online trolls protected by anonymity while damaging lives.
They say the likes of Twitter and Facebook must make people register their identities before they are allowed to post messages. The Daily Express today adds its might to their calls with our new Unmask The Online Trolls campaign.
It comes after a series of incidents in which Premier League players – including Marcus Rashford – faced racist abuse on social media.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has now met a delegation of footballers, including Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, to discuss online bullying. Bobby Barnes, deputy chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, said racists abuse players online because they are allowed to remain anonymous. He called on firms to verify user accounts and urged the Government to punish those which do not comply.
Bobby said: “What we are calling for is social media companies to be forced to verify users and to cooperate with law enforcement.
“The Government has a responsibility to ensure that appropriate sanctions are visited on those that do post this stuff.”
The former West Ham United star said US-owned platforms often cite freedom of speech when they refuse to clamp down on abusers. He added: “I can’t believe you can use freedom of speech to defend what are effectively hate crimes.
“Were you to do it in the street, you would be arrested.
“But it seems that, at the moment, people can post pretty much what they want online with impunity.
“For me, everything we do should have to be verified.These accounts that aren’t verified can get taken down, but then just pop up again somewhere else under another name.”
His remarks come after Daily Express columnist,
TV’s Richard Madeley called for social media users to register their names. He said: “If you had to register, a lot of these people would not bother to send threatening or criminal messages.
“If people knew they could tracked they wouldn’t do it.” Manchester United and England striker Marcus was among the players to receive abuse recently.
The hungry children’s champ revealed he was swamped with racist messages on Instagram on Saturday. Facebook, which also owns Instagram and Messenger, says it does not tolerate trolling, bullying or harassment.
But it argued against the most basic checks, claiming: “Requiring people to provide official ID could increase digital exclusion for disadvantaged social groups.” be